WILMINGTON, NC - The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA is asking the public to tell their stories of where they were 50 years ago when the Ship came up the river on October 2, 1961.

For those who remember either giving their nickels and dimes to bring the Ship to Wilmington, whose parents were Admirals of the Save Our Ship Campaign, watched her from the steps of the Federal Building, seeing the Fergus Ark getting side swipped or any number of other memories, the Battleship wants your stories.

The excerpts will be collected to go into the official archives of the Ship as well as in conjunction of the 50th annivesary events being held on October 2, 2011, the battleshipnc.com website and social media pages.

The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA came to Wilmington, NC, on October 2, 1961 and opened the public on October 14th that same year. As a thank you to the community for the continued support, on this 50 year anniversary date, the Battleship will open to the public at 1961 prices. That is 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for kids. Admission will be cash only.

In a new addition to the programming originally announced, Carolina Heritage Guide, a magazine about heritage and history in North Carolina, is proudly sponsoring the University of North Carolina Wilmington Jazz Band's performance at 2:30 pm.

The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA is self-supported, not tax supported and relies primarily upon admissions to tour the Ship, sales in the Ship's Store, and donations to the Friends of the Battleship. No funds for its administration and operation come from appropriations from governmental entities at the local, state or federal levels. Located at the junction of Highways 17/74/76/421 on the Cape Fear River. Visit www.battleshipnc.com or follow us on Facebook.com/ncbb55 and Twitter.com/battleshipnc for more information.